| in the gallery |
which advocated for the equality, unity, and caretaking of
all peoples. Steffen Thomas, born in 1906, was a prolific
artist who created thousands of creations across artistic
mediums. His works are housed at the STMA, which welcomes
in other Georgia artists as a way to honor Thomas’
life philosophy. “‘This world is too small for less than
brotherhood, too dangerous for less than truth,” Steffen
Thomas once said.
Lisa Thomas Conner, the daughter of Steffen Thomas,
welcomed Flanigan and the Clarke County students to the
museum in mid-October for a special opening reception.
“We are proud and privileged to have this exhibit in the
museum,” says Conner.
Flanigan was thrilled to partner with the STMA to
showcase the work of Athens middle schoolers that he
mentored.
“This is the intersection of public art and education, raising
issues that are important to communities and neighborhoods,”
says Flanigan. “Steffen Thomas did that with his
‘Brotherhood of Man’ mentality, and raising issues that are
important to communities and neighborhoods...To be collective
and to be in unity is what is best for us. Embodying
that mantra speaks volumes to the mission of this museum
space. We can continue to create opportunities for artists
like myself and the artists of future generations.”
The students who worked on two different murals with
Flanigan said the experience taught them about brotherhood,
teamwork, and helping others in addition to bolstering
their artistic skills.
“Brotherhood is important because helping people is
important,” says Kaden Royal, 11.
Flanigan, an Athens-native, is the owner of Flanigan’s
Portrait Studio and a self-taught mural/portrait artist. In
2015, Flanigan created the organization HARPS (Helping
Art Reach Public Spaces) – a hands-on mural arts program
28 LAKE OCONEE LIVING | WINTER 2021
for teens that also
LEFT: Student from Clarke
County Middle School joined
Athens-based artist Broderick
Flanigan for the unveiling of
a new mural at the Steffen
Thomas Museum of Art
during an opening reception
for ‘Large Art Dreaming’ on
Oct. 16. The exhibit will be
on display through January.
Shown, from left, are Noraa
James, LaGracion Little,
Arabella Flores, Newell Paul,
Broderick Flanigan, Kaden
Royal and DéTreviunte Cooper.
BELOW: Broderick Flanigan
is an Athens-native and
self-taught mural/portrait artist
who created the organization
HARPS (Helping Art Reach
Public Spaces).
engages nonprofits and
community leaders –
which he continues to
lead.
“My journey has taken
me from my childhood
in public housing and
a youthful aptitude for
creating to a degree in
kinesiology from Georgia
Southern University.
An Art Appreciation
course and a spiritual
awakening rekindled
a desire to pursue an
art career grounded
in a grassroots approach. A commitment to underserved
audiences led me to open Flanigan’s Portrait Studio on the
Eastside of Athens in the ‘Triangle Plaza’ neighborhood,”
explains Flanigan.
Flanigan’s art has been exhibited at the Lyndon House
Art Center, ATHICA, and the Oconee County Arts Foundation;
his murals may be seen on buildings across the city
of Athens.
The Large Art Dreaming exhibit and partnership with
Flanigan is a program is supported in part by the Georgia
Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the
Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment
for the Arts, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta,
the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation, and generous
donations from STMA patrons.
For more information, visit www.steffenthomas.org. You
can follow Broderick Flanigan on Instagram at: flanigans_
portrait_studio.
/www.steffenthomas.org